Couch-bed.



A. SCHRENKEISEN.

COUCH BED.

APPLICATION FILEDJUNE 19. WW.

1,271,952, Patented-July 9,1918... I

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

effzessea.

ARTHUR SCHRENKEISEN, or NEW YORK, n. Y. I

COUCH-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented July e, 1918'.

Application filed June 19, 1917. Serial No. 175,566.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR SCHRENKEI- snN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Couch-Beds, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, illustrative of one particular embodiment of my invention.

This invention relates to a class of furniture now generally known asday-and-night beds. Among the particular objects of my invention are theproduction of such structure to meet the practical requirements, and toavoid the many objectionable features of such articles that haveheretofore been produced, and which objects have minimized theirusefulness and as known in the trade have resulted in commercialfailure.

Amongthe various features of my invention which produce asuccessful-article of this character, may be mentioned the supporting ofa convertible couch and bed frame in a manner that permits the reversalof the same without moving the. entire bed structure away from the wallor other normal position; the embodiment of elements that insures theuniform front base; means which may be operated by one hand to releasethe convertible couch-bed frame and swing the same by the same person inone position; the automatic means that catches the swinging couch frameby means indicating when it has reached its converted positionj theembodiment of means substantially and rigidly supporting both sides ofthe frame in either of its operative positions carrying the weight andstrain on the side members substantially supported; and

the combination of all elements in a manner permitting all desiredupholstery and other detailed work in the most approved form.Furthermore, the invention enables me to produce a knock-down articlewhich may be readily assembled into the rigid, operative structure in asimple manner, whereby packing and shipping facility insures its successfor use as an article to meet the general trade conditions ofmanufacture, sale and use. i

The importance of this latter characteristic will be apparent when it isconsidered that a convertible bed is desired for purposes of economy inits'double aspect, and it therefore becomes essential that it be bed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal. section through the swiveling axis ofthe couch-v bed.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section on a larger scale at one end ofthe pivots Figure 1 is a front elevation of the couch Fig. 4 is afragmentary plan View on a larger scale, showing a corner of the bed- 1spring frame.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the couch-bed near one end.

The end sections AB terminate in suitable. legs a.b. A front rail C anda rear rail D connect these end sections A and B, being secured theretoby dowels and bolts so that the rails and end sections may be detachedreadily, and at the same time when secured constltute a firm, rigid,rectangular and self-sustaining structure if so desired.

The frame E constitutes the base for the vertical features of thestructure, which has been called a couch-bed, but which I have moreparticularly designated in the trade as a day-and-night bed. The frame Ehas the end members F, and in the approximate center of said end membersa bolt G extends through the member on a longitudinal central axis ofthe entire structure, being supported in the frame F by a bushing g, andprojecting into the transverse member B of the end section, while thepivot at the opposite end similarly projects into, or is secured to thetransverse member A on the other end section A. This pivot may have aflange as g, which, as shown, is screwed to the member B so as to holdthe bolt G securely in place and projecting for engagement in thebushing g of the frame member F. At the inner end the nut g" serves tohold the frame member securely on the bolt G and to tie the frame memberto the end sections.

In this manner the frame E is tied at its middle point at each end tothe end sections respectively, of the couch-bed in a plane considerablyhigher than the rails C and D, which tie the end sections togetherthereby at lower lateral points, so formmg a three point interconnectionbetween the end sections,-one of which is Well out of the plane of theother two, and insures a substantial, strong and complete structure whenassem- 5 bled.

When the bolts G are released by removing the nuts 9 and the bolts atthe rail ends are removed, the end sections are free to be disassembledfrom the entire structure and handled and packed separately'inconvenient, light units, so that they may be acked and transported withgreatest facility. I

The frame E has transverse bridges H which are offset so that whilecontributing the desired rectangular rigidity of the frame E, theirarrangement leaves them clear of the bed-spring, and allows clear spacefor the yield of the bed when in use. Corner braces 6 add to therectangular rigidity of the frame and offer a base for the engage- 'mentof the bed-spring frame J. The bedspring frame J is secured at one sideby hinges J, and at the other side by hinged bolts and win nuts K, whichengage a recess k in the edge of frame J. I

On the side of the frame E opposite to the bed frame side, webbing L isstretched from all sides of the frame E, and supports the upholsterysprings M, on top of which the upholstery is secured, and the coveringma terial P is carried over the upholstery and down the side and securedto the edge of the frame. This covering material, however, on one sideis secured to the edge of the frame E, and an additional strip E thenscrewed on resulting in a neat finish, while the rail or strip E" alsoserves as an offset of the frame E on that side, for purposes ofengagement at the front with the supporting member Q when the couch isconverted into a bed with the mattress side up.

The front lid Q is hinged, preferably with a blind hinge g, and as shownin Fig. 5 in dotted position, drops or is shiftable outward, whichmovement may be limited by a desk elbow stop 9, or similar device. Anunder-cut groove R, which in this form extends-the full length of thedrop lid Q, en- 50 ables a person to grip the front lid when standing inany posltion in front of the bed, and the snap catch .9 on the top ofthe drop lid Q engages a recess 8 in the overhanging edge of the frameE,permitting, however, ready displacement by the operator when applyingsuitable effort at the under-cut ip R, and at the same time securelyhold ing the drop lid Q in its supporting posit1on so that it forms arigid support between the rail C and the lateral edge of the frame E,ample for all purposes for which the couch or bed may be used. The mainstrain which always comes on the front edge, is thereby most admirablyprovided for. On 65 the rear the frame E is supported at either end byshelf-springs T, which are inclined so that the edge of the frameapproaching from below will slide over and depress the shelf-springs T,and when the edge of the frame E has passed, these shelf-springs T willspring into operative position and offer an audible signal that therotation of the frame has passed to the desired reversed position.-These shelf-springs support the rear side of the frame, and with thefront drop lid Q constitute a complete support for the main load appliedon the frame, which in use is transmitted by upholstery or bed to theside members of the frame. Thus the pivots G will not receive the mainstrain, but are ample to supportthe entire frame and couch and bedmaterial during the rotation or conversion, and are made, however,sufficient to stand any further strain that might be transmitted to suchpivots in the course of ordinary use.

The bed frame J has the bed-springs y secured in the usual manner, butthe edges J" of the frame J I prefer to reverse from the usual positionin which they are placed, whereby said edges J" serve to partiallyinclose the edges of the mattress and keep it in place, and preventengagement with any objects in the process of conversion of thebed.Straps U are secured to the bed frameJ and enable me to strap themattress, aswell as pillows or other material, securely in place, sothat upon reversal with the bed side down they will be held againstdisplacement, affording in this respect the utmost convenience, as willbe appreciated by those familiar with this art.

By the combination of the rectangular frame comprising the end sectionsand rails C and D, as a completely open frame without any bottom, Iavoid entirely the danger of accumulation of dust and dirt which hascaused the complete failure of structures having that characteristic.Furthermore, such convertible 'day-and-night beds must have a practicalwidth for convenlence and comfort, and at the same time without aprohibitive height, and this I accomplish in my structure with the openframe WlllCh permits the low form of convertible structure, which asshown in Fig. 5, swings on the dotted line and the proportions may be somade that the edges of the frame E will clear the floor, therebyproviding the lowest permissible height whether in couch or bedposition, and producing with respect to practical commercial dimensionsa most successful article of manufacture, to insure the maximum widthand least height. I, furthermore, bevel the edge of the rails at c andd, thereby gaining clearance, or width of the bed or couch, as everydegree of imrovement possible in this respect is of add d commercialvalue.

The hinging of the bed frame J at one side, is permitted by theloosening of the wing nuts K, so that the bed section may be -more orless displaced and Permit cleaning and inspection of the entirestructure, or, in brief, affording the greatest-facility forcleanliness, which is an essential characteristic.

The entire structure has the most important characteristics of beingreadilv set-up, or, on the other hand, made in its parts and readilyshipped or disassembled. and in addition the structure is open, in asense, throughout so as to afford no chance of collection of dust ordirt, and as to space between mattress and couch top my constructionafl'ords means readily operable by the housewife, or anyone, to air andclean whenever desired.

My .invention or its various features of advantageous combination, maybe embodied in different styles of finish, indifferent dimensions andthe material may be changed and many modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, but what I claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a piece of convertible furniture the combination with a pair ofend sections, of a displaceable supporting board extending between theend sections on the front side of said piece, a rotatable frameadapted-to carry a bed on one side and an upholstered section on theother pivoted on its longitudinal axisto the end sections, one side ofthe upholstered section being flush with the edge of the frame and theframe extending beyond the edge of the upholstered section on the otherside to form a ledge adapted to be engaged by the supporting board whenthe bed side of the frame is uppermost, and a pair of spring shelves,one. mounted on the rear portion of each end section and extendinginwardly to support the frame when in horizontal position and to permitthe frame to be revolved in one direction.

2. In a piece of convertible furniture the combination with a pair ofend sections, of a displaceable supporting board extending between theend sections on the front side of said iece, a rotatable frame adaptedto carry a bed on one side and an upholstered section on the otherpivoted on its longitudinal axis to the end sections, the frameextending beyond the edge of the upholstered section on one side to form.a ledge adapted to be engaged by the supporting board when the bed sideof the frame is uppermost, and supporting means mounted on the rearportion of each end section and extending inwardly adapted to permit theframe to be revolved and to support the frame when in horizontalposition.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 16th day of June, 1917.

ARTHUR SCHRENKEISEN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE V. MoNALLY. HERMAN H. Conn.

